Brenstville District Youth Baseball League Coaches Meeting

1. BrenstvilleDistrict Youth Baseball LeagueCoaches Meeting Spring 2012

2. Presented by Darryl Johnson Coaching Coordinator

3. Roles and Responsibilities Coaches • Understand and follow all safety rules, regulations and guidelines. • Communicate to all team participants the safety requirements • Required to report all injuries and conditions to Safety Director

4. Accident Reporting • Coaches are required to report all injuries that occur during practices, games, or while the team is under his control, to the Safety Director. • Accidents requiring reporting are those which require immediate first aid (e.g., application of ice bag, bandages) and/or those in the following injury categories; contusion, fracture, laceration, dental, and sprain. • Accident reporting shall include area of injury (i.e., hand, face, leg, foot, etc.), position being played, and possible accident cause.

5. Accident Reporting • When to Report an Accident • All reportable incidents described on the previous slide must be reported to your league Director within 24 hours of the incident. • How to Report an Accident • Reporting incidents documents can be turned into the Division Commissioner who will turn the documentation into the Safety Director

6. Safety - Highlights • All team equipment should be stored within the team dugout, or behind screens, and not within the area defined by the umpires as “in play.” • Only players, coaches, scorekeepers, and umpires are permitted on the playing field or in the dugout during games and practice sessions. • During practice and games, all players should be alert and watching the batter on each pitch. • A team coach should inspect equipment regularly (prior to a practice or game).

7. Safety - Highlights • Arrangements should be made in advance of all games and practices for emergency medical services. (Have a cell phone or obtain the whereabouts of the nearest phone to access 911, if needed). • First aid kits are issued with team equipment. You should access to it at all times during practice and games. • No games or practices should be held when weather or field conditions are not safe, particularly when lighting is inadequate. • Play area should be inspected prior to practices and games for holes, damage, stones, glass and other foreign objects.

8. Safety Highlights • Batters must wear approved protective helmets during batting practice and games. • Catchers must wear catcher's helmet, mask, throat guard, chest protector, shin guards and protective cup with athletic supporter for all practices and games. NO EXCEPTIONS! • Coaches should encourage all players to wear protective cups and supporters for practices and games. • When warming up a pitcher, catchers must, at a minimum, wear a catcher's helmet and mask.

9. Common Sense Solutions • Designate a “Bench Coach” for each game • Responsible that the dugouts are kept neat and that there is no horseplay • Responsible for the on deck hitter • On Deck Hitter on the same side of the plate as the batter • Not necessary on the 90’ fields due to the distances from the dugout to the plate, but on-deck hitters should be behind the batter’s “3-9 line.

10. Common Sense Solutions • Report potentially unsafe conditions before they become prohibitive • Encourage the use of helmets with face guards • Make sure that you are teaching the proper techniques!

11. Head Injuries • Do not return a player to the game after a head injury when: • There are obvious signs oftrauma (swelling, bleeding, “goose egg”, etc.) • There are no external signs but have internal signs on subsequent slides

12. Signs of Internal Head Injuries • Unconsciousness • Abnormal Breathing • Obvious wound or fracture • Bleeding OR clear fluid from the nose, ear, or mouth • Disturbance of Speech or Vision • Pupils of Unequal Size • Weakness or Paralysis • Dizziness • Neck Pain or Stiffness • Seizure • Vomiting more than two or three times • Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control

13. Signs of a Concussion • “Seeing Stars” and feeling dazed, dizzy or lightheaded • Memory Loss, such as trouble remembering what • happened right before the injury • Nausea or Vomiting • Headaches • Blurred Vision and Sensitivity to Light • Slurred Speech or saying things that don’t make sense • Difficulty Concentrating, thinking or making decisions • Difficulty with coordination or balance (such as being • unable to catch a ball or other easy tasks) • Feeling anxious or irritable for no apparent reason • Feeling overly tired

14. Summary • Be observant, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. • Accidents happen, report them when they do. • The goal is to have the same number of happy, healthy kids leave the park at the end of the day as there were at the beginning. • Everyone can and should be their own Safety Officer. • Parents have entrusted their most precious belonging – their child – to us. The safety of every child is our primary concern